It was in late July that President Joe Biden was essentially pushed aside by his own Democratic Party in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris being the nominee for the presidential election in November.

Nearly a month and a half later, Biden's relinquishment of command of not just his re-election effort but also his administration was made clear when he appeared Monday as the opening act in support of Harris at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, according to an NBC News report.

Yet, while Biden playing a supporting role for Harris on the campaign trail was not surprising, one report suggested that he didn't seem particularly thrilled about doing so.

Biden not happy to play "second fiddle" to Harris

Per NBC News, President Biden and VP Harris addressed a gathering of union workers at a campaign rally in Pittsburgh on Labor Day, where they both lauded labor unions for various past achievements enjoyed by all American workers, such as the five-day workweek and paid time off for family leave, sick leave, and vacations.

Given that Harris is now the nominee and not Biden, the president spoke first to introduce his vice president to the rally's attendees, which the outlet reported was "a sign he is giving her space to shine as the two attempt to help Democrats retain power."

Yet, according to The New York Times, Biden didn't appear to relish playing "second fiddle" to his former running mate, as indicated by his remarks.

To be sure, he voiced his backing of Harris to be the next president and noted at one point that he will "be on the sidelines, but I’ll do everything I can to help."

That said, the Times observed that Biden "hardly seemed eager to take the supporting role," that his speech was nearly a third longer than Harris' remarks, and that he mostly focused on telling old stories about himself and his achievements instead of discussing what Harris had done as VP or would do as president if elected in November.

Is Biden an asset or a liability now for Democrats?

As noted, President Biden's appearance at a Harris rally in support of her candidacy was not unexpected, as Politico reported nearly a month ago that Biden's team was planning for him to make a few selected appearances on the campaign trail over the next couple of months.

That plan was tentative and in flux, however, given the elderly president's low approval rating and the concerns over the increasingly evident decline of his physical and cognitive health, which is what led to him being ousted as the Democratic nominee in July and has rendered him more of a political liability than an asset in many parts of the country.

Indeed, the Politico article suggested that the primary focus of Biden's last few months in office would be remaining in Washington D.C. to govern the nation while figuring out how best to secure his "legacy" and place in American history before his decades-long political career concludes in January.

Efforts to win over union workers not as successful as usual

According to The Times, the reasons why President Biden was pushed aside and forced to relinquish his leadership of the Democratic Party was on display during his appearance at the Pittsburgh campaign rally -- which only attracted around 600 predominately union workers to a local high school gym, rather than thousands of rally-goers to a larger arena.

"It was hard not to notice the difference between their clarity as orators. Mr. Biden told war stories of political campaigns and union leaders from decades ago, his voice fluctuating from a nearly inaudible whisper to a shout as he emphasized his points," the outlet reported. "Ms. Harris stuck to a cleaner and more streamlined message, arguing that she would fight for workers while Mr. Trump offered a return to a past of union-busting."

As for the effort by Biden and Harris to secure union support ahead of the election, The Times noted that even that typical accomplishment for Democrats was somewhat in doubt, as though they clearly enjoy the support of various unions' leadership, there is ample evidence that a sizeable portion of rank-and-file union workers are planning to ignore their leaders and cast ballots in support of the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.